New York City: Part 2

Central Park is just as gorgeous as I hoped it would be…and much, much larger!

(umm hello, cute kissing romantic couple!)

The park was packed with people out walking, running, skating, biking, and rollerblading all enjoying the unseasonably warm temperatures. I think it reached about 18C (64F) on Saturday! We both had to rip off our jackets because we were sweating to death! We were so thankful for the weather because it could’ve easily been snowy and cold at this time of the year.

After exploring for a couple hours, we soon found ourselves ready to fill our bellies for a very late lunch. We headed to Cafe Blossom which is a popular vegan restaurant in the Upper West Side of Manhattan not far from Central Park. Cafe Blossom also has vegan “sister” restaurants, Blossom, as well as V-Note, Blossom Du Jour, and Cocoa-V all located in the city. Umm, WOW!

The cafe has a clean and inviting atmosphere with cozy wood and modern stone accents.

Going out to eat is such a treat and I appreciate every minute of not having to prepare the food myself! This trip is a nice break from my kitchen. I feel so spoiled when I get to order anything off a menu.

I had a the Field of Greens juice with spinach, cucumber, apple, lemon, and ginger. Ah, it felt so good to have greens after the flight.

OH MY LORD. Have mercy. I am embarrassed to say how quickly I inhaled this!

These pictures really don’t do this salad justice either. It was absolutely amazing and perfect in every way. I am definitely going to try to recreate this salad at home…come to mama!

Eric ordered the Veggie Grain Burger made with lentil-quinoa burger, hummus, lettuce, tomato, pickles on multi-grain and fries. He loved the meal and was nice enough to share a bite with me. It was really good. The only thing I would change is the texture. It was very soft, almost like mashed potatoes.

I’m always asked what kind of diet Eric eats and that’s a bit hard for me to answer because he doesn’t like to label himself. He eats a mostly vegetarian and vegan diet now, with the occasional meat & dairy products as desired. He’s really embraced a plant-based diet and loves trying all kinds of new foods these days.

It’s really crazy to think of the foods he used to eat when I first met him. He was a fast food, Coke, and meat & potatoes kinda guy and the only vegetables he ate were staples like peas, corn, potatoes, and tomatoes. I’m happy to see him so content with the balance he has in his diet now. If he wants pizza or chicken, he usually eats it, but he also enjoys a lot of vegan and vegetarian dishes too. I think everyone needs to find the balance that works for them personally.

Since our lunch was so late and our dinner reservation was early, we hesitantly skipped the dessert menu and headed back out to explore and take advantage of the nice weather. I am so sad I was only able to eat at this cafe once during our stay…I would love to sample everything off the menu! They nailed casual, yet gourmet, vegan cuisine.

It was really busy around the city on Saturday, not surprisingly! Bustling with shoppers galore.

All the shops on 5th Ave are decorated so pretty for the holidays! It really got us into the holiday spirit even though it could have been a summer day. ;)

Cool night display:

…and we soon found ourselves like this…unable to move.

…the only thing that motivated us to move again was the promise of more food, alcohol, and chocolate molten cake ;)

I love it when there is a restaurant where I can actually eat something! It doesn’t happen often with my many food intolerances, but when they get it right…ahh it’s amazing. Can’t wait to hear more about your trip!

Wow.
The burger looks amazing! NOM NOM! And I would probably crisp it up a bit, too, like you would. I don’t like super soft burgers. I like my edges a bit crispy.
I guess I would be hesitant to try the sallad, because I would hate to know what the nutritional contant is in the dressing…. but hey, it is a once in a blue-moon occasion, right? :-)

What a wonderful post – so glad you’re having so much fun! I love seeing your photos – my boyfriend and I went to New York this summer and it brings back so many fun and happy memories! So cool that Eric has found his healthy living balance, and you too – very inspiring and positive! Mmmm….that salad and juice look DIVINE! :-D Enjoy NYC! xyx

So I have a question. I don’t know if this was asked already, but why did you choose to travel to the US on one of the busiest US traveling weekends of the year? Thanksgiving travel is literally insane!!

I just ate lunch and I want to inhale that salad! Mango guacamole…oh my!

You know when you’re with the right man when he’s as adventurous and supportive with food! ;) Since going vegetarian (mostly), I’m blown away with how fully Tim jumped into the new eating lifestyle. He used to be a Diet Pepsi-drinkin, double cheeseburger-eatin, and cigarette-smokin dude. Now he eats quinoa for breakfast, loved the vegan chickpea cutlets I made for Thanksgiving dinner and is going to a personal trainer twice a week (and did a 5k walk with me!). Makes me happy every single day that I married that man! :)

Cafe Blossom looks amazing – and mango guacamole?! Ahhhh, heaven!!! Will have to put the cafe on my list of places to go when I get to NYC at some point. And I love that it wasn’t wall-to-wall people… nice to have a relaxing lunch before heading back out into the fun-but-hectic bustle.

I live RIGHT by Cafe Blossom and have not seen that salad. Must. Try. They have a good brunch as well. I always find vegan brunch to be such a treat! If you’re back in the neighborhood you should check out Peacefoods on Amsterdam at 82nd. YUM.

Yayyyy Naked Cowboy! I love NYC – I’ve only been twice, once was last December, and the other time in college for the weekend. I wish we could go back this December, but our schedule is packed. That salad sounds amazing. My husband eats like your guy used to, though he’s coming around. We had spaghetti squash lasagna last night, and he ate the whole plate and went back for seconds!

I’m SO HAPPY you got to see the Naked Cowboy — so many of my friends thought I was making it up when I was younger (I grew up north of Boston), but they’ve almost all been to “The Big City” at some point now and learned that he is definitely no myth! Your photos of Central Park are gorgeous — I can just picture Blair Waldolf roaming across them in a cute little capelet! I hope you made it to the Upper East Side to do a little Gossip Girl set-stalking. ;)

I can’t wait to see you re-create that salad with a recipe on your blog! I have been eating the lightened up protein goddess bowl all week and it is so delicious! Your blog is the only one in which I have enjoyed every recipe I have tried! Enjoy the rest of your trip!

After my 10 days of travel, which I just returned from I was actually itching to get back to my normal routine and being in the kitchen. I ran out to the grocery store before I even unpacked my bags! Eating out is fun when its a once in a while thing for me.

WOW! Everything looks so amazing! That quinoa salad – yes you better believe you’ll be recreating that one because I want to experience it too! I love the way the shops in the US go all-out on Christmas decorations. It makes shopping feel so festive. And a celebrity sighting.. hmm now you’ve got me curious!

Oh my god the naked cowboy haha!!! wow the quinoa salad looks amazing, I look forward to you trying to re-create it. Glad you’re having a great time, loving these NYC posts! Kiss from England.xo http://hannahalehandra.blogspot.com/

I’m much like Eric in my eating patterns. I do eat primarily a vegan diet but have a family and social circle that doesn’t understand the idea of no cheese, no eggs, no butter etc. So I often find myself indulging in vegetarian dishes when I’m with other people. However, I understand veganism to be an entire lifestyle that encapsulates not just eating decisions but also decisions regarding self-care products and the avoidance of animal products in other parts of my life. And for years, I’ve I ascribed to that whole-heartedly. If people ask, for simplicities sake, I tell them I’m vegan. If they’re willing to talk about it, I’ll go into more details.

I love reading your experience of NYC, it’s one of my favorite places in the world!
I hope you had the privilege of consuming the fare at Candle 79. Thanks for the restaurant suggestions for my next visit to New York.

you really lucked out with the weather. I mean, this time last month there was a freakin’ snow storm :P I love reading about what people doing on their vacations to NYC. gives me ideas for things I haven’t done and it’s fun reading about stuff I have :P

i love blossom!! I just found your blog btw and love it! also, if you ever want recommendations, i can give you lots of great vegan recommendations. The east village is a mecca. My personal favorite is red bamboo. I went to lunch at cafe blossom and wasn’t that impressed but then went to cafe du jour a different time and it was AWESOME! other faves of mine include the loving hut, angelica’s kitchen, cafe viva (vegan pizza), these random places in harlem (very odd, but they seem to have alot of alot of “soul food” type places). also vegan cupcakes are not too hard to find (babycakes, molly’s cupcakes and sogo for ice cream)

Im so glad you had that salad! It’s literally my favorite salad of all time. And adding the tempeh bacon really makes it RIDICULOUS. I’m lucky I live so close but my wallet isn’t so lucky. I need to recreate that mango guac!

I really hope that you are going to try to recreate that salad when you get home. It looks amazing and definitely like something one could make in their home…although mine never turns out as pretty : )

The quinoa salad (especially with the mango guacamole!!) and the veggie burger both look amazing!! NY is definitely on my bucket list.
Dallas is a lot like Eric- he eats and likes everything I make at home, but will sometimes order chicken when we’re out. The only non-vegan food he keeps in the fridge is milk and yogurt. It’s so nice to share delight in new foods with someone :)

What an amazing trip! My husband is also *not* vegan, but he sure does love to gobble up the vegan yums I make! And he’s incredibly supportive of my choice. Especially as a person who has ever dealt with an E.D., you learn not to tell people what they must eat.

I also did no like the texture of that burger when I had it at Bloosom….I really recomend you go to Candle 79 (It is just a few blocks east of the Metropolitan museum)…You should have the chocolate peanut butter dessert there(it is amazing!!) Enjoy NYC; it is like heaven for a vegan!

Noooo~don’t turn this way, man in the cowboy hat! Hahaa the guy in front of him is looking at a certain direction and it just looks funnny :P
What a fun time Angela!! ahhhhh it kind of reminds me of San Francisco? And I agree that green juice after a flight WOULD be the best. :)

I’m getting so jealous!! My husband are thinking of dorng a trip to NYC in the spring for our anniversary so I’ll have to make a list of what to see based on your posts! I started reading your blog in order to get meal ideas (since I’m lactose intolerant) and I have to say that both my husband and I have eating a more plant based diet. For the past few weeks, I’ve only have fish/meat once a day. Thanks for sharing the info about Eric…it sounds like the same idea my husband.

I came across your blog about a year ago and have absolutely loved reading your posts! I’m not a vegan, however I’ve had great fun using your recipes (and fab pictures!) to whip new things up at home! Also, my dad is gluten-free so I love coming across new gluten free recipes to try out. Your trip to New York looked like great fun and that salad looked out of this world :)

Ahhh it’s so awesome you’re in NYC! The only time I went there was with a group trip, so I didn’t get to explore a lot of things interesting to ME (such as vegan restaurants!) so your posts are especially exciting to me :)
I love New York–my dream is to one day live there, if only for a little while ;)

I love how you described how Eric eats. I know I had asked you this in an email, and this totally makes everything perfectly clear. Since I took on a vegetarian and then vegan diet, my husband definitely eats similar to what I do, but like you said, with exceptions. When he goes out for lunch (and the sort) this is when he’ll get dishes with meat, but even sometimes he’ll say, “are you proud – I got the dish with tofu!” Love him ;)

I am so glad you were able to visit one of the Blossom locations. Back in October, my bf and I stayed in the city for the first time ever and got to try Blossom. We loved it so much that we went back a few times :D I had a very similar salad, that was amazing. We’re going back for New Years. I am looking forward to trying more vegan restaurants.